Well tool



Dec. 14, 1954 H, c w 2,697,001

WELL TOOL Filed July 20, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG] F|G.2 FIG-.3 F|G.4FIG.5

INVENTOR.

H erbe rf R. McGrow ArfoRNEYs.

Dec. 14, 1954 H. R. MCGRAW 2,697,001

WELL TOOL Filed July 20, 1949 2 She ets-Sheet 2 4 H2 [4 gm 52 7 fa l 55'6s 54 62 64 INVENTOR- m ll Herbert R. McGraw ATTORNEYS.

5 54 BY Q MJQWO United States Patent M WELL TOOL Herbert R. McGraw,Fayetteville, W. Va.

Application July 20, 1949, Serial No. 105,833

6 Claims. (Cl. 294-69) This invention relates to well tools and moreparticularly to latch jack for the recovery of bailers, sand pumps,roken jars and other tools lost in the well holes, and for use inconnection with latch jack dump bailers.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide such a latch jackwhich is simple in construction, and hence inexpensive to manufactureand maintain in good repair, and a latch jack having parts constructedand arranged to positively move the latch bar to a position for properengagement with the bight portion of handle or bail of the unit to berecovered or actuated, as in the case of a dump bailer.

Another object is to provide devices of the character described whichare devoid of parts made of spring material such as coil and leafsprings, likely to rust or become permanently set in an inoperativecondition, and to avoid the use of slender links as motion transmittingmeans, since such are likely to be broken due to the adverse conditionsencountered in wells.

Another object is to provide latch and actuating means therefor whichmay be stamped from strip or sheet material, or otherwise formed, andwhich may be used in an assembly constituting either a latch jack forthe recovery of bailers used in removing the pulverized rock loosened bythe bit during the process of drilling etc., or as a part of a lllatchjack dump bailer used in lowering cement into a we Other objects andadvantages will appear in the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and in which drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a latch jack embodymg my invention,looking toward the edges of the reins thereof.

Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevational views of the same looking toward theoutside faces of the reins.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 1 but partly in vertical sectionand showing respectively the position of parts in association with thebail of a lost tool when the latch jack has been lowered to a positionwhere the bail has operated the latch bar actuator to trip the bar to alatching position, and where the latch bar is supporting the bail as aresult of upward movement of the latch jack. 6 is a cross sectional viewon the line 66 of Fig. 7 is a view on a reduced scale, similar to Fig.1, showing parts of a dump bailer, partly in elevation and partly invertical section, associated therewith, the parts being in position forlowering a load of cement or the like into the Well hole.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing the relative position ofparts when the dump bailer is contacting the bottom of the well hole andthe latch bar actuator is functioning totrip the bar to a latchingposition.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in elevation similar to Fig. 7 of thedrawing but showing the dump bailer parts in position for dumping theload as a result of lifting of the latch jack and suspension of the dumpbailer body through its bail and the latch bar.

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view on the line 10-40 of Fig. 8.

Figs. 11 and 12 are detailed sectional views on the lines 11-11 and 1212of Figs. 7 and 9, respectively.

In the drawings, and referring first to Figs. 1-6 inclusive, is shown alatch jack 13 constructed and arranged for fishing out units, lost inthe well hole, having the usual 2,697,001 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 2 bail14 including a bight portion 15 and depending rein 16, shown in Figs. 4and 5.

The latch jack 13 comprises a fork-shaped body 17, a latch bar 18 and alatch bar actuator 19 carried by the body 17. A shear pin 20 may also beassociated with these body carried parts for a purpose to besubsequently set forth.

The body 17 includes a shank 21, and a first rein 22 and a second rein23 in spaced, parallel relation depending from shank 21, providing amajor longitudinally extending slot 24 open at the bottom of body 17, inwhich the bight portion 15 of the bail 14 is accommodated duringrelative movement between the latch jack and bail.

Reins 22 and 23 are provided with longitudinally extending companionminor slots 26 and 27, respectively,

m a plane at right angles to the plane of slot 24 for accornmodation ofthe bar 18 and actuator 19. The bottom wall 28 of slot 27 may act as anabutment for bar 18 when in one position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thelower end portions of the reins may be tapered outwardly .s shown at 29as is common practice, to aid in guiding .he latch jack and bail 14 inproper relation for recovery of the well tool.

To assist in placing and removing the latch jack with respect to itscable or other supporting medium, not shown in the drawing, the shank 21may be provided on its opposite sides with parallel wrench faces 30 andan upper screw threaded extension 31 as is common practice.

The latch bar 18 may be stamped from strip, sheet or bar stock and ispreferably rounded, as at 32, at its one end portion which receives apivot pin 33 having bearing in the side walls of slot 26 and extendingthrough a hole 34 in the bar. The other end portion of bar 18 ispreferably beveled as at 35 the bevel being on the outside 36 of the barwhen the bar is in the position shown in Figs. 1-3.

Referring now to the latch bar actuator 19 it is substantially ofL-shape providing a short leg 37 and a long leg 38. It is pivoted, as bypivot pin 39 to rein 22 above the pivot 33, with the juncture portion 40of the legs in slot 26. The pin 39 has bearing in the side walls of slot26 and extends through a hole 41 in juncture portion 40. The actuator 19is constructed and arranged so that in one position its short leg 37extends across slot 24 and into slot 27 and its long leg 38 is disposedwholly within slot 26 with its free end engaging the outside 36 of bar18 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing; and in a secondposition its short leg 37 is elevated and its long leg 38 is moved to alocation diagonally across slot 24 as shown in Fig. 4. To make sure thatthe long leg 38 will not move to the outside of body 17, a stop 43 maybe provided in slot 27 the upper surface of which is engaged by the freeend portion of short leg 37 when the actuator 19 is in its firstmentioned position. The free end portion of long leg 38 may be beveledas at 44 the bevel being on the inside 45 of the leg for matchingrelation with the bevel 35 of latch bar 18.

The shear pin 20 may be of wood or soft metal. such as copper. It ispreferably received in transverse ali ned holes 46 in rein 22 and a hole47 in long leg 38, the holes 46 and 47 being in alignment when theactuator 19 is in the position first above described.

As to operation of the latch iack as thus described. in the form shownthe latch b r 18 is free to assume either of the positions shown in Fig.l or 5, but the actuator 19 is primarily held in the position shown inFi l bv the shear pin 20 so that it cannot assume the position sh wn inFig. 4 until after the shear pin has been severed. With the parts asshown in Fi s. l-3. the latch jack is lowered until the bight portion 15of bail 14 engages the short leg 37 and has forced it upwardly to theposition shown in Fig. 4. This swinging of leg 37 imparts a swingingmovement to long leg 38 and it in turn actuates the latch bar 15 to theposition shown in Fig. 4. The latch jack may then be lifted and the bail14 is caught on the latch bar 18, as shown in Fig. 5. It will be notedthat the shear pin 20 prevents the actuator 19 from assuming a positionwhere the bight portion 15 of the bail 14 would ride on the outside ofleg 38. A suitable fishing jar, not shown :in the drawings, may beassociated with the latch jack to assist in breaking the shear pin andin operating the actuator and latch bar for the latch jack encountersmuch undesirable matter, such as mud, pulverized rock etc., tending tomake parts stick together, and while, in the example shown the latch baris normally free to assume the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 it ismost likely to take the position shown in Fig. 1 when the latch jack islowered the well hole and require dislodgment by the actuator Referringnow to the latch jack for association with a dump bailer 49 as shown inFigs. 7-12 it is in the main like that shown in Figs. l6 in that itcomprises the forkshaped body 17, latch bar 18, and actuator 19, in therelationship previously described. However, the shank 21 may be providedwith an eye member 50 at its upper end for connection with the usualcable or other supporting medium, not shown in the drawing, and thelower ends of the reins 22 and 23 may be reduced in thickness as at 51to accommodate bolt heads and nuts or other fastening devices assubsequently described.

The dump bailer 49 comprises a long tube 52 for receiving the cement, orother materal; a bail 14 secured as by welding or otherwise to the upperportion of the tube 52 as is common practice, the bight portion 15 ofthe bail being disposed in the slot 24 of the latch jack and movablefrom a first position adjacent the lower end portion of the latter asshown in Fig. 7, to a second position above the latch bar 18, as shownin Figs. 8 and 9; a valve member 54 for controlling the bottom opening55 of tube 52; a coupling 56 at the lower ends of reins Z2 and 23,preferably secured thereto in a detachable manner as by bolts 57 andnuts 58, the shanks of the bolts extending transversely through openings59 in a tongue portion 60 of the coupling; and a flexible member 61,such as a piece of cable, connecting the coupling 56 and valve member54. While the valve member 54 may be of any suitable type, in theexample shown it comprises a cylindrical base 62 and an upstandingfrustoconical portion 63 for sliding engagement with the wall of opening55. The portion 63 is of less diameter than base 62 presenting anupwardly facing shoulder 64 for engagement with the bottom of tube 52.

The coupling, in addition to the tongue portion 60 which fits betweenthe reins 22 and 23, and closes the lower end of slot 24, includes aneye portion 65 to which the upper end of flexible member 61 is secured.The lower end of member 61 may be secured to the valve member 54 in anyapproved manner.

The flexible member is made of such length that when it is taut, thevalve member 54 is seated as shown in Fig. 7 and the bight portion 15 ofbail 14 is spaced slightly above the coupling 56 as shown in Figs. 7 and11. Thus the dump bailer may be suspended from the latch jack throughthe valve 54, flexible member 61 and coupling 56, the load remaining inthe tube 52 until the base 62 of valve member 54 engages the bottom ofthe well hole, indicated at 66 in Fig. 8. When this occurs and the latchjack is further lowered there is relative movement between the latterand the bail 14 until the bight portion 15 of the latter operatesactuator 19, forcing the latch bar 18 to a catching position. Uponlifting the latch jack the dump bailer then becomes suspended therefromby the bail 14, the bight portion 15 having been caught on the latch bar18 as shown in Figs. 9 and 12 thus placing slack in the flexible member61 and releasing valve member 54 from a seating position. The materialin tube 52 may then find egress through opening 55.

It will be noted that the latch jack contains no coil or leaf springslikely to corrode or become set in an inoperative condition, a fault ofmany latch jacks which have been proposed in the past; that there are norelatively small or slender parts likely to be broken except the shearpin which is intended to break, but which is inexpensive and readilyobtainable; and that many of the parts are interchangeable insofar asthe latch jack for the recovery of tools or for operation of dump baileris concerned.

I claim:

1. In a well tool of the character described, the combination of afork-shaped body including a shank, and a first rein and a second reinin spaced parallel relation depending from said shank and providing amajor slot open to the bottom of the body, said reins provided withlongitudinally extending companion closed bottom minor slots in a planeat right angles to the plane of said major slot; a latch bar pivoted atone end to said first rem,

in the companion minor slot thereof adjacent the lower end of the bodyand capable of movement to a first position to lie substantially whollyin said first rein companion minor slot, and capable of movement to asecond position extending across said major slot and into and restingupon the bottom of the companion minor slot of said second rein; and asubstantially L-shaped latch bar actuator, comprising a short leg, along leg and a juncture portion joining said legs, said latch baractuator pivoted at said juncture portion to said first rein in thecompanion minor slot thereof, spaced above the pivot of said latch bar,said actuator capable of movement to a first position with its short legextending across said major slot and into the companion minor slot ofsaid second rein, and its long leg disposed in the companion minor slotof said first rein when said latch bar is in said first position, withthe free end of the long leg engaging the outside of the latch bar, andcapable of movement to a second position, by the bight portion of abail, in said major slot during downward movement of the well tool withrespect to the bail, so that the short leg is elevated and the long legmoved diagonally across said major slot, and in its movement to thesecond position actuating said latch bar toward its second position.

2. In a well tool of the character described, the combination of afork-shaped body including a shank, and a first rein and a second reinin spaced parallel relation depending from said shank and providing amajor slot open to the bottom of the body, said reins provided withlongitudinally extending companion closed bottom minor slots in a planeat right angles to the plane of said major slot; a latch bar pivoted atone end to said first rein, in the companion minor slot thereof adjacentthe lower end of the body and capable of movement to a first position tolie substantially Wholly in said first rein companion minor slot, andcapable of movement to a second position extending across said majorslot and into and resting upon the bottom of the companion minor slot ofsaid second rein; a substantially L-shaped latch bar actuator,comprising a short leg, a long leg and a juncture portion joining saidlegs, said latch bar actuator pivoted at said juncture portion to saidfirst rein in the companion minor slot thereof, spaced above the pivotof said latch bar, said actuator capable of movement to a first positionwith its short leg extending across said major slot and into thecompanion minor slot of said second rein, and it long leg disposed inthe companion minor slot of said first rein when said latch bar is insaid first position, with the free end of the long leg engaging theoutside of the latch bar, and capable of movement to a second position,by the bight portion of a bail in said major slot engaging the undersideof said short leg during downward movement of the well tool with respectto the bail, so that the short leg is elevated and the long leg moveddiagonally across said major slot, and in its movement to the secondposition actuating said latch bar toward its second position; and ashear pin detachably carried by one of said reins and operativelyengaging said actuator to releasably hold the latter in said firstposition, said pin adapted to be severed when the actuator is moved bythe bight portion of the bail, in said major slot, engaging theunderside of its short leg during downward movement of the Well toolwith respect to the bail.

3. In a Well tool of the character described, the combination of afork-shaped body including a shank, and a first rein and a second reinin spaced parallel relation depending from said shank and providing amajor slot open to the bottom of the body, said reins provided withlongitudinally extending companion closed bottom minor slots in a planeat right angles to the plane of said major slot; a latch bar pivoted atone end to said first rein, in the companion minor slot thereof adjacentthe lower end of the body and capable of movement to a first position tolie substantially wholly in said first rein companion minor slot, andcapable of movement to a second position extending across said majorslot and into and resting upon the bottom of the companion minor slot ofsaid second rein; a substantially L-shaped latch bar actuator,comprising a short leg, a long leg and a juncture portion joining saidlegs, said latch bar actuator pivoted at said juncture portion to saidfirst rein in the companion minor slot thereof, spaced above the pivotof said latch bar, said actuator capable of movement to a first positionwith its short leg extending across said major slot and into thecompanion minor slot of said second rein, and its long leg disposed inthe companion minor slot of said first rein when said latch bar is insaid first position, with the free end of the long leg engaging theoutside of the latch bar, and capable of movement to a second position,by the bight portion of a bail, in said major slot engaging theunderside of said short leg, during downward movement of the well toolwith respect to the bail so that the short leg is elevated and the longleg moved diagonally across said major slot, and in its movement to thesecond position actuating said latch bar toward its second position; anda stop in the companion minor slot of said second rein engaging theunderside of the free end portion of said short leg of the actuator whenthe long leg thereof is in said first position.

4. In a well tool of the character described, the combination of afork-shaped body including a shank, and a first rein and a second reinin spaced parallel relation depending from said shank and providing amajor slot open to the bottom of the body, said reins provided withlongitudinally extending companion closed bottom minor slots in a planeat right angles to the plane of said first slot; a latch bar pivoted toone end to said first rein, in the companion minor slot thereof adjacentthe lower end of the body and capable of movement to a first position tolie substantially wholly in said first rein companion minor slot, andcapable of movement to a second position extending across said majorslot and into and resting upon the bottom of the companion minor slot ofsaid second rein; a substantially L-shaped latch bar actuator,comprising a short leg, a long leg and a juncture portion joining saidlegs, said latch bar actuator pivoted at said juncture portion to saidfirst rein in the companion minor slot thereof, spaced above the pivotof said latch bar, said actuator capable of movement to a first positionwith its short leg extending across said major slot and into thecompanion minor slot of said second rein, and its long leg disposed inthe companion minor slot of said first rein when said latch bar is insaid first position, with the free end of the long leg engaging theoutside of the latch bar, and capable of movement to a second position,by a bight portion of a bail, in said major slot engaging the undersideof said short leg, during downward movement of the well tool withrespect to the bail so that the short leg is elevated and the long legmoved diagonally across said major slot, and in its movement to thesecond position actuating said latch bar toward its second position; anda shear pin carried by one of said reins, and engaging said actuatorwhen the latter is in said first position, and severed when saidactuator is moved from its first position.

5. In a well tool of the character described, the combination of afork-shaped body including a shank, and a first rein and a second reinin spaced parallel relation depending from said shank and providing amajor slot open to the bottom of the body, said reins provided withlongitudinally extending companion closed bottom minor slots in a planeat right angles to the plane of said major slot; a latch bar pivoted atone end to said first rein, in the companion minor slot thereof adjacentthe lower end of the body and capable of movement to a first position tolie substantially wholly in said first rein companion minor slot, andcapable of movement to a second position extending across said majorslot and into and resting upon the bottom of the companion minor slot ofsaid second rein; a substantially L-shaped latch bar actuator,comprising a short leg, a long leg and a juncture portion joining saidlegs, said latch bar actuator pivoted at said juncture portion to saidfirst rein in the companion minor slot thereof, spaced above the pivotof said latch bar, said actuator capable of movement to a first positionwith its short leg extending across said major slot and into thecompanion minor slot of said second rein, and its long leg disposed inthe companion minor slot of said first rein when said latch bar is insaid first position,

with the free end of the long leg engaging the outside of the latch bar,and capable of movement to a second position, with the short leg and thelong leg extending diagonally across said major slot, and in itsmovement to the second position actuating said latch bar toward itssecond position; and a dump bailer comprising a tube, a bail secured tothe upper portion of said tube and disposed with its bight portion insaid major slot and movable from a first position adjacent the lower endportion of the body below said latch bar to a second position above saidlatch bar, a valve member for opening and closing the bottom opening ofsaid tube, a coupling secured to the lower ends of said reins below thebight portion of said bail, and a flexible member connecting saidcoupling with said valve and drawn taut for suspending the tube with itsvalve in a closed position from said coupling when the bight portion ofthe bail is in its said first position, and said flexible member beingslack when the bight portion of said bail is in its said second positionand the tube is suspended through its bail by said latch bar and thevalve is in open position.

6. In a well tool of the character described, the combination of afork-shaped body including a shank, and a first rein and a second reinin spaced parallel relation depending from said shank and providing amajor slot open to the bottom of the body, said reins provided withlongitudinally extending companion closed bottom minor slots in a planeat right angles to the plane of said major slot; a latch bar pivoted atone end to said first rein, in the companion minor slot thereof adjacentthe lower end of the body and capable of movement to a first position tolie substantially wholly in said first rein companion minor slot, andcapable of movement to a second position extending across said majorslot and into and resting upon the bottom of the companion minor slot ofsaid second rein; a substantially L-shaped latch actuator, comprising ashort leg, a long leg and a juncture portion joining said legs, saidlatch bar actuator pivoted at said juncture portion to said first reinin the companion minor slot thereof, spaced above the pivot of saidlatch bar, said actuator capable of movement to a first position withits short leg extending across said major slot and into the companionminor slot of said second rein, and its long leg disposed in thecompanion minor slot of said first rein when said latch bar is in saidfirst position, with the free end of the long leg engaging the outsideof the latch bar, and capable of movement to a second position, with theshort leg elevated and the long leg moved diagonally across said majorslot, and in its movement to the second position actuating said latchbar toward its second position; and a dump bailer comprising a tube, abail secured to the upper portion of said tube and disposed with itsbight portion in said major slot and movable from a first position belowsaid latch bar to a second position above said latch bar, a valve memberfor opening and closing the bottom opening of said tube, a couplingdetachably connected to the lower ends of said reins below the bightportion of said bail, and a flexible member connecting said couplingwith said valve and drawn taut for suspending the tube with its valve ina closed position from said coupling when the bight portion of the bailis in its said first position, and said flexible member being slack whenthe bight portion of said bail is in its said second position and thetube is suspended through its bail by said latch bar and the valve is inopen position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,545,758 Green et a1. July 14, 1925 1,561,327 Hedrick Nov.10, 1925 1,719,144 Stokes et a1. July 2, 1929 2,345,836 Shaw Apr. 4,1944

